Running social media ads can be a great way to put your business in front of new people. With the right audience, messaging and strategy, paid advertising can increase visibility and introduce potential customers to your business much faster than relying on organic reach alone.
But running ads doesn't mean the rest of your social media presence no longer matters.
Think about what happens after someone sees an ad for a business they've never heard of. They may click the ad immediately, but they may also visit the company's Facebook or Instagram profile first. They want to see who the business is, what they do and whether they seem credible before taking the next step.
If they arrive at a profile that hasn't been updated in months, has very little information or consists almost entirely of advertisements, that first impression may work against the ad that brought them there.
Your Ad Is Often Just the Introduction
An ad may be someone's first interaction with your business, but it probably won't be their last before making a decision.
Customers have access to more information than ever, and it's easy to research a company before reaching out. They can look at your website, read Google reviews and browse your social media profiles within minutes.
An active social media presence gives them another opportunity to learn about your business. Recent posts can show your services, answer common questions, highlight customer experiences and introduce the people behind the company.
The ad gets their attention. Your overall online presence helps them decide what to do with that attention.
An Active Profile Builds Credibility
Imagine seeing an ad from a company you're considering doing business with. You visit its Facebook page and discover the last post was eight months ago. You might immediately start wondering whether the company is still active or how responsive it will be if you reach out.
Now imagine visiting another business and finding recent project photos, helpful tips, customer reviews, team updates and posts showing what's happening within the company. Even before speaking with anyone, you've learned quite a bit about who they are.
That consistency creates familiarity and credibility. It shows potential customers that the business is active, engaged and willing to communicate with its audience.
This doesn't mean a business needs to post every day. What matters is maintaining enough consistency that when someone visits your profile, they're seeing an accurate and current representation of your company.
Organic Content Shows What an Ad Can't
Advertisements are designed with a specific goal. They might promote a service, encourage someone to schedule an appointment or introduce a special offer. That focus is exactly what makes advertising effective, but it also means an ad can only tell part of your story.
Organic social media gives your business room to show everything around that offer.
Behind-the-scenes photos can introduce your team. Educational posts can demonstrate expertise. Reviews can show what customers think about working with you. Completed projects can provide real examples of your work, while community involvement and company updates can show the personality behind the brand.
These types of posts help potential customers get to know your business in a way that would be difficult to accomplish within a single advertisement. Shepheard Marketing has consistently emphasized authenticity and meaningful engagement in its social media strategy because people want to connect with businesses that feel real, not just businesses constantly trying to sell to them.
Paid and Organic Social Media Have Different Jobs
One of the biggest misconceptions is that businesses need to choose between spending money on ads and investing time into organic social media. In reality, the two serve different purposes and can be stronger when they support one another.
Paid advertising helps expand your reach and put your message in front of targeted audiences who may not already know your business. Organic content helps build the ongoing presence people find when they want to learn more.
That means your social media strategy shouldn't stop once an advertising campaign begins. If anything, running ads makes it even more important to consider what the rest of your profile looks like because you're intentionally introducing more people to your brand.
Make Sure Your Social Media Supports Your Ads
Before launching your next campaign, take a look at your social media profiles from the perspective of someone discovering your business for the first time.
Are your contact information and website current? Have you posted recently? Can someone quickly understand what your business does? Does the content show expertise and personality? Are there reviews, project examples or other trust-building content available?
You don't need a perfect feed or hundreds of posts. You need a presence that supports the message you're paying to put in front of people.
Advertising can introduce your business to the right audience, but the rest of your marketing helps turn that introduction into trust.
At Shepheard Marketing, we look at paid advertising as one piece of a larger marketing strategy. From social media content and digital advertising to websites and overall brand presence, each piece should support the others and give potential customers confidence in the business they're considering.
If you're running ads but aren't sure whether the rest of your social media presence is supporting them, Let’s Talk.